These following two Festival events will be held in the library’s upstairs meeting room. They are free, require no registration, and will appeal to all ages. Put on your dancing shoes and join the fun!

On Saturday, January 31 1-3 pm, Liina Teose will conduct an Oregon Historical Society (OHS) Folklife workshop on Estonian singing games and dances.

On Sunday, February 8, 1-3 pm, Rocio Espinoza will lead an Oregon Historical Society (OHS) Folklife workshop on Mexican Folklorico Dance. Rocio is also a member of the library’s circulation staff.

Registration is required for the two following Festival Events. Space and materials are limited. Please call the reference desk, 503 644-0043 ext 114, to reserve your spot.

Sunday, Feb. 1, 2-4 pm: Origami Workshop. Jen Imai, Yasuko Wilson and members of the Japan American Society of Oregon lead this workshop on the art of paper folding. Supplies will be provided. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Saturday, Feb. 14, 1-3 pm: Hawaiian Holiday. Lani Hawkins teaches the art of making leis and dancing the hula. Supplies will be provided for this Oregon Historical Society (OHS) Folklife program that is recommended for ages 10 and up.

Cedar Mill Community Library is located at 12505 NW Cornell Road, at the very back (north) of the parking lot, with an entrance off NW Saltzman Road (just north of Cornell Road and Dogwood St).

The library catalog and patron accounts will be unavailable the evening of Monday, February 23 through the afternoon of Tuesday, February 24, 2009. WCCLS will be upgrading Polaris, the county’s integrated library system, at that time.

Here’s what this means to you—for Monday night and Tuesday morning and afternoon:

You won’t be able to find books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, and other library materials.

You won’t be able put holds on library materials.

You won’t be able to view your library account.

You won’t be able to renew library materials either online or by telephone.

Celebrate Oregon’s 150th year of statehood at the Shute Park Library on Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 14, from 2–3 p.m.

In honor of the state’s sesquicentennial (150th), the library is having an Oregon-themed birthday party. Learn the words to our state song, “Oregon, My Oregon,” make a valentine for your beloved state, take an Oregon trivia quiz, and enjoy a piece of birthday cake provided by Alchemy Bakery on Main.

Venis Taherizadegan, chef and owner of Alchemy on Main, says, “This cake is for my community.” The cake she is creating is a masterpiece in the shape of Oregon, with topographical frosting, landmarks like Haystack Rock and Mt. Hood, and key Oregon resources such as grapes for the Willamette Valley.

At the birthday celebration, people will also learn about other Oregon 150th programs such as Oregon Reads 2009. Readers of all ages are invited to participate in this statewide community reading program that will run through April. The goal is to get as many Oregonians as possible reading and discussing the same book.

Three books written by Oregon authors have been chosen, Stubborn Twig by Lauren Kessler for adults, and for younger readers Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff and Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson. Each title tells a uniquely Oregon story. Special Oregon Reads events will be happening at the Hillsboro Library and at libraries all over Oregon including author visits, discussion groups and cultural events.

Locally, community members are invited to “Share Your Oregon Story” by writing, in 500 words or less, how they became an Oregonian, and what drew them to and what they love about the state. Pick up a submission form with the story guidelines at the library, or download it at http://www.hillsboro.plinkit.org/news-events/lib-news/Share%20Your%20Oregon%20Story_submission%20form.doc.doc/view. Stories will be grouped by age: 8–10, 11–13, 14–17 and 18+/adults and will become part of the library’s local history collection. The collected stories will be on display for the public to read at the library before it is catalogued and shelved.

Archeologist Dr. Dennis Jenkins from the University of Oregon will discuss this beautiful volcanic igneous glass and how it can give us a fascinating glimpse into the pre-history of Oregon.

Flows of obsidian, a natural glass produced by many volcanoes in Oregon, contain a unique chemical signature that enables archaeologists to trace artifacts back to the volcano of origin. Obsidian is also an unstable mineral that begins absorbing molecular water soon after a fresh surface is exposed to the atmosphere, a process that produces a detectible rind that thickens at a predictable rate under various site conditions, producing a “hydration clock” that tells the age of each artifact and flake.

Archaeologist Dennis Jenkins will discuss the invaluable information about our culture stored within nature in “Obsidian: History through the Volcanic Glass Window.” Hillsboro Main Library is pleased to host this Oregon Chautauqua from the Oregon Council for the Humanities. This free, public program will take place on Wednesday, February 11 at 6:30pm at Hillsboro Main Library, 2850 NE Brookwood Parkway, Hillsboro.

Obsidian artifacts yield a treasure-trove of information about prehistoric lifeways and the development of sociopolitical areas in central Oregon across fifteen thousand years of prehistory. Archaeologist Dennis Jenkins presents a fascinating look at the trail of information left by this beautiful volcanic glass.

Looking for just the right book for a young person? A fantastic story time? A great time at the library?

A number of Tigard Public Library's Youth Services librarians have put together a lively new blog, called The Family Book Bag. They update it at least weekly with information on Tigard Library programs and services, tips on reading and research, book reviews and much more.

Better yet, the books and audiobooks mentioned are linked so you can put them on hold easily.

The blog offers a fresh view of what those librarians have up their sleeves. Patrons are encouraged to comment, take part in ongoing polls, and read the latest library news. Check out tplfamilybookbag.blogspot.com for more information.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Talk with Rosanne Parry, the author of Heart of a Shepherd. This is a heartwarming story of a teenaged boy whose father goes to Iraq. And, it’s for middle-grade readers.

Also enjoy cake, games and animals! 1:00-3:00 PM Saturday, February 7th at Garden Home Library, 7475 SW Oleson Rd.Heart of a Shepherd revolves around Brother. When Brother's dad is shipped off to Iraq, along with the rest of his reserve unit, Brother must help his grandparents keep the ranch going. He’s determined to maintain it just as his father left it, in the hope that doing so will ensure his father’s safe return. The hardships Brother faces will not only change the ranch, but also reveal his true calling.

The stark beauty of eastern Oregon and the shared purpose of the ranching community made a lasting impression on Rosanne Parry. She found a similar rapport among the military families she knew when her husband was deployed to Iraq. She now lives in an old farmhouse in Portland, Oregon, with bunnies and chickens and her husband and four kids.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

January 31 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PMCome join the fun at the Washington County Museum in a day filled with paint and play. View our new exhibition The Art of Contemporary Printmaking sponsored by Print Arts Northwest. Kids of all ages as well as parents and grandparents will enjoy a day packed with art and history activities. Print your own Valentine card to give to family or friends and create works of art that you will be proud to display at home. Plus play with toys from the "good old days" and make your own toy to keep.

Learn about life in the county—from the Atfalati Indians, through the pioneer settlements of the 1800's to today's population growth and the influx of high tech.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

What should libraries be like in 2019? What library services do you and your family value, and will you still need them in 10 years? How should libraries be funded and governed? Are additional libraries needed, and if so, where should they be?

Give us your opinion! Library users and County residents are an important part of our strategic planning process.

There are two ways you can get involved:

complete our online survey about how libraries should be governed and funded, and

sign up to attend one of four public focus group meetings scheduled for the evenings of January 27th in Forest Grove, January 29th in Aloha, February 3rd in Beaverton, or February 4th in King City. Note: the sign-up is closed since all the focus groups have met.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Hillsboro Main Library will be presenting a talk by Native American artist Lillian Pitt, Sunday, January 18 at 2 PM. The talk and an exhibit of her carvings, masks and sculpture are free of charge.

Ms. Pitt, a member of the Warm Springs/Wasco tribe, will speak about the life and culture of the Columbia River Gorge's indigenous people before the Gorge was explored and settled by white pioneers.

“I use the ancient stories of my ancestors as a basis for the imagery I create. By doing this I maintain the memory of an ancient culture and keep the beliefs of my people alive.... My ancestors have a 10,000 year history in the Columbia River Gorge. Much of my work has to do with the preservation and care of the environment along this ancient waterway,” Ms. Pitt explains.

“She Who Watches,” the Columbia River petroglyph that represents the last of the Woman Chiefs, appears frequently in her work.

Primarily a ceramics artist, she also produces sculptures in glass, bronze, and wood. She also creates paintings, drawings, prints, jewelry, and wearable art.

Her work is exhibited often in Portland galleries, including Quintana, and in museums; she also has contributed to public artworks. Her most recent award was the Earle A. Chiles Award for 2007 in acknowledgement for her art in sustaining ancient Columbia Plateau cultures and beliefs, and for promoting harmony within people, communities, and nature.

Lillian Pitt’s presentation is the first event in 2009 commemorating Oregon’s 150th anniversary of statehood. Her visit is also the first of a periodic series of Pacific Northwest Artist lectures the Library will host. For more information about this and other events, visit the library, call 503-615-6500, or go to www.hillsboro.plinkit.org/.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Kurt Nelson will talk about WWII and the Pacific Northwest at Hillsboro Main Library, Saturday, January 17th at 2:00 pm.

This author, Portland police officer, and Clackamas Community College instructor, will discuss his book. Fighting For Paradise: A Military History of the Pacific Northwest is an account of some of the little known military engagements that book place right here in our region. Although the book covers the time from the first European settlement to the present, Mr. Nelson will concentrate on the incidents that occurred in WWII. The Oregon Coast was shelled by Japanese submarines and Oregon was also attacked by Japanese incendiary bombs. Copies of Mr. Nelson’s book will be on sale after the presentation. It is also available to borrow from WCCLS libraries.